Steven Universe: Welcome to Beach City
by BrightMuffin
Summary: Blue Topaz, a soldier specialized in geokinesis, is having trouble adjusting to life on the planet Earth. The Great Diamond Authority may have turned over a new leaf, but change never comes easy.
1. The War is Over

Steven stepped forward cautiously, drawing closer to the cave entrance. "Hey there, what's your name?"

The blue topaz gem scrambled to her feet, turning around. "Who are you? How did you...find me?" Her eyes were reflective and without pupils, a dark shade of grey. As for her body, she wasn't as broad as the other topaz gems; she was more petite-slender, really.

He put his hands up defensively. "It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. None of us will! We just wanna help you!" He offered a hand. "Will you come out?"

"We? Who's we?" She glanced up at the Crystal Gems, who were now entering the cave.

The grey in her eyes darkened. "You," she growled, walking backwards. She lifted a hand, a piece of rock breaking off the side of the cave and floating in the air.

"Steven, get back!" shouted Pearl, taking a bold step forward with Garnet and Amethyst.

"How did you win?! The attack-no one was supposed to survive it! How-"

"Everybody calm down!" Steven yelled, stepping in between the gems and Blue Topaz. "The war is over, no one's an enemy here," he assured, smiling sweetly.

"No! Get away from me!" Blue Topaz extended her hand out, the rock hurtling towards the gems.

Garnet powered up her gauntlets, throwing a punch, disintegrating the rock. "Steven—"

"GET OUT!" She threw another rock, a much larger piece from the ground beneath them.

"STOP!" cried out Steven, forming a large bubble shield. "Please don't do this! There's no more war to fight! The Diamonds, they've changed! There's no enemy anymore!"

"LIAR!" She extended both hands on either sides of her, and as she lifted them slowly, the entire cave began to shake.

"Oooh boy!" Amethyst shapeshifted into a falcon, flying towards the cave entrance with the gems following her lead. She soared into the sky and watched the cave collapse.

"STEVEN!" cried out Pearl, watching Garnet pound into the debris in search of him.

"Uh, guys..." spoke Amethyst, "You might wanna step back!"

The ground beneath them shook violently, the debris exploding outwards, hovering in the air. Below, Steven stood firmly in his pink bubble, and Blue Topaz standing her ground.

"That's enough! Can't you see we don't wanna fight?!" Steven released himself from the bubble, offering his hand once again. "Just...please...let us help you."

Blue Topaz was taken aback, her brows raised and mouth agape. "I..." She brought the rocks down to the ground steadily. Then, she sunk down to her knees, hands flat on the rock-covered ground. "I-I don't understand..."

A hand met her shoulder. She looked up, her eyes reflecting Steven's warm smile.

"Just let us help. You'll understand soon, I promise." His eyes fell to the upside down teardrop-shaped gem fixed at the middle of her upper back. "I can fix your gem," he offered, "I have healing powers."

"You have healing powers?"

He stood behind her. "Yeah! Just stay still, okay? It might feel a little weird," he warned, licking his hand.

"What?" She felt something wet slap against her gem, shuddering.

The Crystal Gems gathered around the two, watching Blue Topaz's gem glow brightly.

Then, two wings made of rock formed, the glow soon dimming out.

"You fixed my gem! Thank you!" Blue Topaz got to her feet, wings stretched out. "How did you do it?"

"Healing spit!"

She flew to the air, looking down at him with deep, royal blue eyes. "Well...thanks for healing me." Just as she was about to fly off, Steven called out to her.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"...Somewhere," she shrugged, frowning to the side.

"Come with us! I know where you can stay!"

Blue Topaz glanced at the Crystal Gems. "I...don't know about this..." She came back down, holding her arm.

"Don't you wanna know what's happened while you were gone?"

She pursed her lips, eyeing Garnet place her hands over her hips. "Sure..." Her wings glowed, vanishing soon after.

Steven scanned the area, shielding his eyes from the rays of sun penetrating through the trees. "Let's go...over there!" He pointed to a large log before jogging over there and taking a seat. "Come on!" He patted the spot next to him.

She hesitated, her gaze flicking back and forth from Steven to the Crystal Gems, a deep blue blush appearing on her face. Finally, she shuffled her way over to Steven, fingers drumming against the wood nervously. "So...what happened?"

The Crystal Gems joined them, Garnet and Amethyst on the grass, and Pearl on the other side of Steven.

"First, we should introduce ourselves. I'm Steven. This is Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl." He pointed to each of them.

"I'm Topaz. Blue Topaz."

"It's nice to meet you, Blue Topaz!" Steven extended a hand out to her.

She stared at his hand, brows furrowed. "What are you doing?"

"It's a hand shake!" He demonstrated with hers.

"I see..." She shook hands with him, but didn't pull away for a while. "Do we keep shaking hands?"

"Well no, not for this long," he answered, chuckling awkwardly.

She reeled her hand back. "Oh." She looked up at the other gems. "Well, are you going to tell me what happened?" she asked Steven.

He perked up, grinning. "Right! Now where do we begin..."


	2. Conformity

Waves of turquoise lapped up on the sandy shores, leaving a foamy trail. High in the burnt-orange sky was a flock of seagulls flying in all directions. In the background, Steven strummed melodies on the ukulele, lying back on top of Lion.

Blue Topaz sat in front of the crashing waves with her knees against the wet sand, gazing over the seemingly endless horizon. She closed her eyes, the cool breeze hitting her skin. There was so much on Earth. So much life.

She hadn't remembered seeing the planet so lively the first time she landed her, nor the second time. With the help of the Crystal Gems, she was able to open her eyes for the first time. Everywhere she turned, there was something new. Something beautiful.

She crossed her legs and ran her blue fingertips across the sand. How was it, that this beautiful planet, existed? There were no rules, no norms. No conformity.

Pearl was a pearl who didn't act like a pearl. She was her own pearl. Someone who wouldn't take orders from another.

Garnet has the freedom to exist as her. To be a fusion. To be her.

Amethyst was a loyal soldier, not for Homeworld, but for the Earth. Her home.

And Blue Topaz? She didn't know. She was just a runaway soldier with no backbone. She was a defective gem, and nothing more.

But Steven had told her otherwise. "Unique" was what he called her. _Unique._

"Hey," called out Steven, setting his ukulele aside. "Wanna build a sandcastle?"

Blue Topaz turned to him. "A what?"

"A sandcastle. Here, I'll show you." He hopped off of Lion and jogged over. "You take a bunch of wet sand—but not too wet." He built himself a large pile, patting it down firmly. "There!"

It wasn't exactly the best example, but it made do.

"Oh, I see..." She held her chin, nodding.

"I'll be right back, I'll get my pale and tools!" He scurried into the house. When he stepped out, he dropped the pale and little plastic tools, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

Before his eyes was a sand structure that reached the height the house sat at. Hovering above it was Blue Topaz, smiling.

"Like this, right?" She tilted her head when he didn't respond, her smile fading away.

"Are you kidding?!" He put his hands up to his head. "It's AMAZING!"

Her smile returned, growing into a grin. "Really?"

He hurried down the steps. "How did you do that so quickly?!"

Blue Topaz returned to the ground. She raised a hand, forcing a stream of sand up into the air. "Like this."

Steven squished his cheeks. "Right! Rock powers!"

She nodded once, the sand falling as her hand lowered. Was this Steven gem really all that impressed by the sand levitating? That was nothing. Impressing him was easier a million times over than her Diamond. Her Diamond...

The enormous sandcastle came tumbling down like a wave, consuming Steven in the process. Like a daisy, he popped his head out, spitting up a mouthful of sand. Then he looked at Blue Topaz. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Blue Topaz didn't respond. Instead, she perched herself on the hill she made.

After he freed himself and dusted the sand off his clothes, he marched up and settled beside her.

"Steven," she began. "Am I really...unique?"

"Of course you are! Why wouldn't you be?"

She lowered her eyes from the shimmering horizon. "I don't _feel_ like I am." A warm hand held her shoulder.

"It's okay. We've all felt like that before." He watching the seagulls fly above them. "If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn't have hotdogs."

She gave him a funny look, her brows knitted together. "I never understand you."

"You will in time." He smiled assuredly.


End file.
